System and method for synchronizing video indexing between audio/video signal and data

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

00011. Field of the Invention

0002The present invention relates to broadcast programs, and more particularly, to a system and method for synchronizing video indexing between an audio/video signal and data during recording and playback of a broadcast program.

00032. Description of the Related Art

0004Recently, high-speed storage devices such as a hard disc have been implemented in digital television (DTV) receivers to record and playback broadcast programs, thereby developing a digital video recorder/player. Such recorder/player can be considered a personal TV receiver.

0005U.S. Pat. No. 5,930,444, entitled “A simultaneous writing and playback apparatus” discloses a method for a simple write/playback of a broadcast program, and cannot be regarded as a personal TV. Also, a personal video recorder (PVR) has recently been proposed by Tivo and ReplayTV. A PVR is generally designed to enable simultaneous writing of broadcast programs from different broadcasting stations for a maximum of 30 hours by implementing a hard disc in a TV or STB. Thus, the PVR allows a user to select and view a program from a variety of programs.

0006However, the PVR, as described above, is more for analog broadcastings and considers only the writing/playback of broadcast programs. Actual functions of a personal TV, for example, timed recordings of programs on an electronic program guide (EPG) using a guide information such as a program and system information protocol (PSIP), and application methods for TV functions related to broadcast programs with respect to standards have not yet been proposed. Also, the PVR in the related art lacks a separate logic for a simultaneous writing/playback, making application to a digital broadcasting difficult.

0007<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> is a simultaneous recording/playback device of a digital broadcasting receiver in the related art for high-definition TV (HDTV) or standard-definition TV (SDTV) multichannel program.

0008Referring to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, the conventional receiver includes a tuner <b>1</b> for tuning a broadcasting signal received through a broadcasting network; a demodulator <b>2</b> for demodulating a digital broadcasting signal output from the tuner <b>1</b> and outputting a live stream; an encoder <b>10</b> for encoding an analog broadcasting signal output from the tuner <b>1</b> and outputting transport stream (TS) signals; a data PID filter unit <b>3</b> for detecting the TS signals to be stored by filtering the live stream output from the demodulator <b>2</b>; a time stamp header unit <b>4</b> for constructing a header by considering TS signals other than the TS signals detected by the data PID filter unit <b>3</b> and by counting figures of a NULL packet, and inserting the header among the partial TS signals; a storage unit <b>7</b> for storing the TS signal produced from the time stamp header unit <b>4</b> and the TS signal produced from the encoder <b>10</b>; a stamp control unit <b>5</b> for controlling edition and reading of the TS signal stored in the storage unit <b>7</b>; a storage control unit <b>6</b> for managing information stored in the storage unit <b>7</b>; a multiplexer (MUX) <b>8</b> for selecting and outputting one of the TS signals output from the stamp control unit <b>5</b> and the demodulator <b>2</b>; and a decoder unit <b>9</b> for decoding a signal selected by the MUX <b>8</b>.

0009The conventional receiver as shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> can also store general data such as text or Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME) data, graphic/image data, Hypertext/Extended Markup Language (HTML/XML) data and java applet data. However, when storing a broadcast program using the conventional broadcast program recording/playback apparatus as described above, specific points of a video cannot randomly be accessed. Therefore, a video index based on contents cannot be provided to users.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

0010Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve at least the problems and disadvantages of the related art.

0011Specifically, an object of the present invention is to provide a more efficient system and method of synchronizing video indexing between an audio/video (A/V) signal and data during recording/playback of a broadcast program.

0012Another object of the present invention is to provide a broadcast program recording/playback apparatus and method which enables a user to easily search specified positions of broadcast programs.

0013A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for improving the functions of a personal TV by inserting synchronization information in specified positions of contents at the time when the contents are produced, thereby enabling a user to easily search specified positions of the contents through an annotation using the synchronization information.

0014Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained as particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

0015To achieve the objects and in accordance with the purposes of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, an apparatus for synchronizing video indexing between an A/V signal and data during recording/playback of a broadcast program comprises a contents production and synchronization unit for producing real time data to be synchronized with a broadcast program or producing a live broadcast program to be broadcasted; and a data transmission unit for combining XML TAG information output from the contents production/synchronization unit with the broadcast program, and transmitting the combined data to a broadcasting network in the form of an MPEG transport stream.

0016In another embodiment of the present invention, a system for synchronizing video indexing between an A/V signal and data during recording/playback of a broadcast program comprises a receiving system for receiving a broadcast program transmitted from a broadcasting network; simultaneously performing storage and playback of the broadcasting signal; and reading information required for video indexing by analyzing an XML TAG received in synchronization with a specified section through a path for data broadcasting.

0017In still another embodiment of the present invention, a method of synchronizing video indexing between an A/V signal and data during recording/playback of a broadcast program comprises detecting an XML TAG by analyzing an XML file among broadcasting information stored in a storage unit; detecting a time offset from the detected XML TAG; converting the detected time offset into a file offset; generating GOP (Group of Pictures) index files from the MPEG transport stream; reading a GOP index file and comparing the GOP index file to the file offset; storing the GOP index file and the XML TAG if the file offset is equal to the GOP index file, and otherwise, reading a next GOP index file and compared to the file offset until a GOP index file which matches the file offset is found for storage with the XML TAG.

0018The present invention has a annotation function for synchronization by combining the XML TAG with a specified shot/scene of the MPEG broadcasting stream. Also, the present invention has a video index function for selectively viewing a specified section from the annotation during playback of a stored stream.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like elements wherein:

<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> is a block diagram of a simultaneous recording/playback device in the related art for a HDTV or SDTV class multichannel program;

<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> is a block diagram of a system for synchronizing video indexing between an A/V signal and data during recording/playback of a broadcast program according to the present invention;

<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> illustrates a synchronized MPEG-2 stream with an XML TAG according to the present invention;

<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 4A and 4B</figref> illustrate logic link tables according to the present invention;

<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref> illustrates the relation between a logic storage unit and a file system according to the present invention;

<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref> illustrates the detection of a position of an MPEG stream through position information defined in a respective XML TAG according to the present invention; and

<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7</figref> is a flowchart of a method for detecting a specified position of an MPEG steam using the position information of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref>.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

0027Reference will now be made in detail to the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Particularly, <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> shows a block diagram of a system for synchronizing video indexing between an A/V signal and data during recording/playback of a broadcast program according to the present invention, including a broadcast data synchronization and transmission system and a receiving system <b>300</b>. Here, the broadcast data synchronization and transmission system can be divided into a contents production and synchronization (P/S) unit <b>100</b> and a data transmission unit <b>200</b>.

0028Referring to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>, the contents (P/S) unit <b>100</b> generally produces, in real time, data to be synchronized with a broadcast program and produces live broadcast program to be broadcasted. Namely, the data to be synchronized with a broadcast program is the XML TAG information. The data transmission unit <b>200</b> combines the XML TAG information from the contents P/S unit <b>100</b> with the produced broadcast program, and transmits the combined data to a broadcasting network in the form of an MPEG transport stream, for example, MPEG-2 transport stream. The receiving system <b>300</b> receives the broadcast program transmitted from the data transmission unit <b>200</b> of the broadcast data synchronization and transmission system, may simultaneously record and playback the broadcasting signal, and reads information required for user video indexing by analyzing the XML TAG received in synchronization with specified sections through a path for data broadcasting.

0029More specifically, the contents P/S unit <b>100</b> includes a stream unit <b>140</b> which detects GOP positions for synchronization with an MPEG stream to be broadcasted on a TV; a shot/scene unit <b>130</b> which sets and marks the XML TAG in the corresponding GOP positions detected by the stream unit <b>140</b>; an XML unit <b>120</b> which synchronizes the marked XML TAG with the MPEG stream to be broadcasted; and a generation unit <b>110</b> which includes an XML TAG generator <b>112</b> and which may include a PSIP generator <b>111</b>.

0030The data transmission unit <b>200</b> includes a data encoder <b>210</b> which combines the XML TAG information with a broadcast program to be transmitted, and an MPEG-2 stream transmitter <b>220</b> which transmits to a broadcasting network the transport stream combined by the data encoder <b>210</b>.

0031The receiving system <b>300</b> includes a simultaneous record/playback (R/P) unit <b>360</b> which simultaneously records and playbacks broadcasting information transmitted from the data transmission unit <b>200</b>; a storage unit <b>350</b> which stores the broadcasting information to be recorded in the simultaneous R/P unit <b>360</b>; a XML parser unit <b>333</b> which analyzes a XML file among the broadcasting information stored in the storage unit <b>350</b>; a media control unit <b>332</b> which synchronizes an object file among the broadcasting information stored in the storage unit <b>350</b> and controls an operation of a video cartridge recorder (VCR), where the object file is a combination of an MPEG file and the XML file; a PSIP decoder <b>331</b> which decodes the broadcasting information stored in the storage unit <b>350</b>; a synchronization (sync) decomposition unit <b>330</b> which searches a synchronized position of a specified section of the MPEG stream based on the outputs from the XML parser unit <b>333</b>, the media control unit <b>332</b> and the PSIP unit <b>331</b>; and a metadata index unit <b>340</b> which systematically stores information output from the sync decomposition unit <b>330</b>.

0032In the above system, a conventional simultaneous recording/playback device as described with reference to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> may be used for the simultaneous recording/playback unit <b>360</b>. Also, the receiver system <b>300</b> may further include an EPG unit <b>320</b> which controls the metadata index unit <b>340</b> such that a user can search information stored in the metadata index unit <b>340</b>; and a TV display unit <b>310</b> which displays the information stored in the metadata index unit <b>340</b> and the broadcasting information read by the simultaneous R/P unit <b>360</b>.

0033The operation of the contents P/S unit <b>100</b> will next be explained in more detail.

0034The stream unit <b>140</b> searches for positions to be synchronized with the MPEG stream to be broadcasted on the digital TV. Namely, the stream unit <b>140</b> searches for and locates GOPs using typical MPEG decoder logic based upon specified shot/scene as shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>. The shot/scene unit <b>130</b> then sets and marks corresponding XML TAGs in the position located by the stream unit <b>140</b>. Subsequently, the generation unit <b>110</b> calculates the position information of the GOP offsets with respect to corresponding MPEG stream and generates reference values for indexing the MPEG stream to enable detection of the positions marked by the shot/scene unit <b>130</b>. Thus, a logic link table as shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4A</figref> is produced.

0035As shown in the logic link table of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4A</figref>, each TAG name, synchronized with a corresponding MPEG stream, is represented as an XML marker and is the run time in a series of time sequences corresponding to units of either a frame or GOP. Here, the link table produced preferably includes the tag names and corresponding time information as shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4B</figref>. Also, text information which can well describe specified shot/scenes is represented in XML and used as the annotation in the present invention. At this time, the text information gives a representative keyword to the metadata. Moreover, the XML TAG includes synchronization information of the link table shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4B</figref> produced by the XML unit <b>120</b> as well as other additional information, according to the type of a program, for an effective video indexing.

0036Table 1 below represents the XML TAG including the above-described information, and can be defined by a general user in accordance with the contents rule of the document type definition (DTD) of the XML. Accordingly, the annotation to be video-indexed using the XML TAG for the specified sections of a stored MPEG stream can be obtained.

0037<tables id="TABLE-US-00001" num="00001"><table frame="none" colsep="0" rowsep="0"><tgroup align="left" colsep="0" rowsep="0" cols="3"><colspec colname="offset" colwidth="14pt" align="left" /><colspec colname="1" colwidth="182pt" align="left" /><colspec colname="2" colwidth="21pt" align="left" /><thead><row><entry /><entry namest="offset" nameend="2" rowsep="1">TABLE 1</entry></row><row><entry /><entry namest="offset" nameend="2" align="center" rowsep="1" /></row></thead><tbody valign="top"><row><entry /><entry>< object type: news, movies, documentary, show, sports, . . .</entry><entry>></entry></row><row><entry /><entry>< start time: 00:00:00</entry><entry>></entry></row><row><entry /><entry>< bit rates: MPPS</entry><entry>></entry></row><row><entry /><entry>< time offset (i.e. duration): 00:00:00</entry><entry>></entry></row><row><entry /><entry>< completion time: 00:00:00</entry><entry>></entry></row><row><entry /><entry>< GOP offset:</entry><entry>></entry></row><row><entry /><entry>< keyword:</entry><entry>></entry></row><row><entry /><entry namest="offset" nameend="2" align="center" rowsep="1" /></row></tbody></tgroup></table></tables>

0038The operation of the data transmission unit <b>200</b> will next be explained.

0039Because the XML TAG information generated by the contents P/S unit <b>100</b> has time information when transmitted, the information is transmitted in the form of MPEG transport stream together with the broadcast program. Therefore, when the stream unit <b>140</b> transmits the MPEG-2 TS in the form of a 188-byte packet, the data encoder <b>210</b> searches for a proper null packet and combines the corresponding XML TAG information with the MPEG-2 stream. The data encoder <b>210</b> then transmits the XML TAG information to the broadcasting network through the MPEG-2 stream transmitter <b>220</b>. The operation of searching for the null packet and inserting the XML TAG into the transmitted bit stream will not be explained in detail.

0040The operation of the receiving system <b>300</b> with the storage unit <b>350</b> will now be explained.

0041First, as shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>, the simultaneous R/P unit <b>360</b> receives the broadcast program transmitted in the form of MPEG-2 TS from the data transmission unit <b>200</b>. The receiving system <b>300</b> not only performs a simultaneous recording/playback, but also reproduces information that a user requires for the video indexing by analyzing the XML TAG synchronized to specified sections.

0042<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref> shows the storage unit <b>350</b> including a file system which stores in a local storage unit <b>600</b> the XML data received from a MPEG-2 TP demultiplexer <b>700</b>, where the XML data carries both an MPEG stream and synchronization information. At this time, the file system includes a mechanism to execute a simultaneous recording/playback of a HD program in a digital TV. Particularly, the XML parser unit <b>333</b> reads and analyzes an XML file <b>620</b> from the local storage unit <b>600</b>. Here, the XML parser unit <b>333</b> analyzes the information shown in Table 1 above, and the analyzed XML file is the annotation information for video indexing.

0043The result of the analysis is stored in a single object file <b>500</b>. The media control unit <b>332</b> then synchronizes the MPEG stream with data from the single object file, which links a MPEG file <b>610</b> and the XML file <b>620</b>, and activates the VCR. A sync decomposition unit <b>330</b> converts the time information into a position information by searching the position synchronized with specified sections of the MPEG stream using the analyzed result from the XML parser unit <b>333</b>. As shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6A</figref>, positions of a MPEG stream can be represented using time information in corresponding XML TAGs.

0044The process of converting the time information into the position information is illustrated in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7</figref>.

0045Referring to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7</figref>, an XML TAG is first read from the input stream (S<b>10</b>) and a time offset, i.e. the time information, is detected from the XML TAG (S<b>20</b>). The detected time offset is then converted into a bit length by multiplying the time offset with a corresponding length of the MPEG stream (S<b>30</b>), and the resultant bit length is converted to a file offset (S<b>40</b>). Also, GOP index files are generated from the input stream as the stream is stored in the storage unit <b>350</b> (S<b>50</b>). Thereafter, a GOP index file is read (S<b>60</b>) and compared to the file offset (S<b>70</b>).

0046If the file offset is equal to the GOP index file, the GOP index file and the XML TAG read from step (s<b>10</b>) is stored and a next XML TAG is read. Otherwise, a next GOP file index is read and compared to the file offset (S<b>80</b>). This is repeated until a GOP index file which matches the file offset is found for storage with the XML TAG. After the last XML TAG is read and stored with corresponding GOP index file, the process ends.

0047In an alternate embodiment, the position information, i.e. GOP offset, may also be transmitted. In such case, both the time information of time offset and position information of GOP offset would be detected. Thereafter, the time offset may be converted into the file offset and compared with the detected GOP offset to store the XML TAG with a corresponding GOP offset.

0048Accordingly, a user can detect the position information and generate video indexing at any given time point using a keyword of the corresponding position. This function, which is one of the important functions of a personal TV, enables a viewer to selectively view a specified portion at any convenient time using a remote control of the TV.

0049Moreover, the metadata index unit <b>340</b> is a database that systematically stores the results from the sync decomposition unit <b>330</b>, and a user can easily access an interactive information by searching for a single object file. Specifically, the metadata index unit <b>340</b> stores the metadata, which is an attribute of the program, to enable a search of the list of the stored program or to comprehend an attribute of a program. Thus, the user can search for a single object file at any time using the information stored in the metadata index unit <b>340</b> through the EPG unit <b>320</b>, and can view the searched information through the TV display unit <b>330</b>, such that an access of the interactive information is not only possible, but easy.

0050As described above, according to the present invention for synchronizing video indexing between the A/V signal and the data during a recording and playback of broadcast programs, an annotation for simply video-indexing the XML TAG is used and thus a user can selectively control the operation of the VCR through the annotation of the stored MPEG stream.

0051The foregoing embodiments are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention. The present teachings can be readily applied to other types of apparatuses. The description of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims. Many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.